A Bumpy Road to Power

Chapter 690 - 690

Now this was great—the deadlock had turned into an unwinnable game.

In Shaun Shelby and Autumn Reid's view, Dirk Carter's research trip this time was simply to pry something out of the shop owners who were renting stalls at the market.

After Autumn Reid rushed over.

Shaun Shelby sent people to threaten those shop owners.

Under his brute intimidation, those owners didn't dare tell the truth.

That way, the situation naturally got broken.

With no evidence in Dirk Carter's hand, he of course had no way to just flip through the office account books at will, not to mention there were still people backing Shaun Shelby from behind.

This wasn't something you could investigate just because you wanted to.

But now it was different.

He said Austin Walsh was framing him.

So if Dirk Carter said he wanted to help clear your name and you agreed, then you'd have no choice but to let Dirk see those books.

If you refused, that would only make you look guilty.

So at this moment, Autumn Reid was a bit embarrassed too.

Shaun Shelby hurriedly cleared his throat.

He said, "Mayor Vincent, I appreciate Secretary General Carter's kind intentions, but someone like Austin Walsh already shows signs of breaking the law. His words can't be taken as truth. I don't take them to heart either. If there's any problem with the market, I'll just conduct a self-inspection when I get back. No need to trouble people from the Municipal Government."

"Listen to yourself, Mayor Vincent, Minister Reid, you both heard it just now. Ordinary folks are full of praise for Mr. Shelby, their satisfaction is very high. If our government doesn't defend the image of someone like him, that would be slapping our Municipal Government in the face. I think we still need to get to the bottom of things, give everyone an explanation, right?"

Dirk Carter said with a faint smile.

In his heart, Shaun Shelby had already cursed out Dirk Carter's ancestors all eighteen generations back.

He was just about to retort.

Fabian Vincent said, "Secretary General Carter has a point. A good comrade like Mr. Shelby—if he's been wronged and we don't care, then I, Fabian Vincent, would have nowhere to put my old face. Here's what we'll do, Mr. Shelby, you stay right here. Secretary General Carter, you take a team back there and get things straightened out."

"Okay, I'll head over right now!"

After agreeing to it, Dirk Carter made a phone call.

Very soon.

Two Audit Bureau cars that had been on standby drove up to the entrance of the market.

A good number of auditors got out of the vehicles.

Then.

Led by Dirk Carter, they filed into the market in imposing fashion.

Shaun Shelby wanted to stop them.

But with Fabian Vincent already having spoken, what else could he say?

He kept glancing at Autumn Reid.

Autumn Reid was at a loss for words as well.

She couldn't very well tell Fabian Vincent that even if Shaun Shelby was being wronged, there was no need to clear his name—that was something she couldn't say out loud either.

Shaun Shelby was so anxious he was about to jump.

He'd just reached for his phone.

And got spotted by Fabian Vincent, who had been watching him the whole time.

Fabian said, "Mr. Shelby, why do you look so nervous? I'd suggest you keep your hands off your phone. If Austin Walsh accuses you of something else on top of this, then you really won't be able to explain it away. I'm doing this for your own good."

All Shaun Shelby could do was sullenly stick his hand back in his pocket.

Among the people present.

Some were delighted, some were gloomy.

Especially those who had a web of interests tied up with Shaun Shelby—right now they were all thinking about how to cut themselves loose.

Starlight Night Market wasn't something you could easily investigate.

In the past, someone up above was shielding it, no one dared to check.

But now, using the pretext of "clearing a wrong," Dirk Carter could investigate openly and aboveboard.

Didn't that mean their date with the executioner was getting close?

They waited.

They waited over an hour, at least.

Fabian Vincent wasn't in a hurry.

Even if Dirk didn't find anything, this matter could still be wrapped up nicely—after all, from the very start they were flying the banner of clearing someone's name.

If he did find something.

So much the better.

They could sweep up the entire Starlight Night Market line in one go.

And that.

Would mean another heavy loss for Herman Bates.

Suddenly.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Secretary General Carter is back."

Everyone's gaze shifted to Dirk's side.

They saw Dirk Carter with a stony face, walking up to Fabian Vincent.

He leaned in close and whispered a few words in Fabian's ear.

Fabian Vincent's expression instantly changed.

With that one change.

Everyone's heart sank.

Especially Shaun Shelby—he could clearly feel it. The smug look on his face had vanished, replaced by raw anxiety.

"Mr. Shelby, looks like things aren't too optimistic. There really is a set of dual books in there. And your Wadsworth Market Management Co., Ltd. has some huge cash flows. From what we've found so far, this market is basically your personal cash cow."

Dirk Carter said to Shaun Shelby.

Shaun Shelby's heart shot straight up into his throat.

His body started to tremble uncontrollably.

Dirk went on, "And your management is really problematic. You've cultivated gang-like forces to bully the shop owners, and just now you were strong-arming them not to tell us the real rent. Whoever dared to talk would have their shop smashed. Mr. Shelby, this is organized crime. Looks like Austin Walsh wasn't wronging you at all."

When he heard that.

Shaun's legs turned to jelly.

With a thump, he collapsed to the ground.

His whole body was shaking like a sieve.

He said, "Mayor Vincent, Secretary General Carter, I…I was wrong…I was blinded by greed, I…"

Fabian Vincent's face was dark and cold.

He said, "I was originally thinking of helping you clear your name. Now look at this—turns out it was all true. Once we started checking, we found a whole pile of problems. Comrade Dirk Carter, since you were the one who first uncovered this, you'll be responsible for the investigation. No matter who it implicates, no matter what resistance you run into, report directly to me. I'll have your back!"

After throwing down these words.

Fabian Vincent feigned anger, turned around and got into the car.

Even though everyone else felt uneasy.

With Fabian gone, they had no choice but to leave as well.

...

Inside Herman Bates's office.

He was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

He was lying on the couch with his eyes closed, resting.

Suddenly, a rapid knocking sounded at the door.

His secretary, Adelaide Linden, hurried in.

She said, "Leader, bad news—something's happened. Shaun Shelby's been taken down."

Herman Bates's eyes snapped open.

He asked, "What happened? Didn't Autumn Reid already go over there? How did he still end up getting caught?"

Adelaide Linden recounted in detail what she'd found out.

Herman slapped the armrest of the sofa and snarled, "Idiots, a bunch of idiots. They can't even handle a small matter."

He'd vented his anger.

He'd finished cursing.

Then Herman calmed himself down.

He asked, "Where is Shaun Shelby now?"

Adelaide said, "Mayor Vincent handed the investigative authority to Dirk Carter. Secretary General Carter has set up a Starlight Night Market Issue Task Force. All investigations are being conducted by that group—he himself is the team leader."

The man was in Dirk Carter's hands.

Which made this matter very hard to deal with.

Herman Bates knew Dirk's character.

He took a deep breath and said, "Once Starlight Night Market is fully investigated, when they pull up that radish, a whole clump of mud will come with it. I'm afraid quite a few people in our faction are going to get dragged down."

The reason Herman Bates was so on edge.

Was because Starlight Night Market was crucial to him.

This was the source of his confidence to stand up to Fabian Vincent in Rexton City.